Bluff vs. Bluster — What's the Difference?

An attempt to deceive someone into believing that one can or is going to do something

To blow in loud, violent gusts, as the wind during a storm.

A steep cliff, bank, or promontory.

To speak in a loudly arrogant or bullying manner.

A grove or clump of trees.

To brag or make loud, empty threats.

Try to deceive someone as to one's abilities or intentions

To force or bully with swaggering threats.

Direct in speech or behaviour but in a good-natured way

A violent, gusty wind.

(of a cliff or a ship's bows) having a vertical or steep broad front.

Turbulence or noisy confusion.

To engage in a false display of confidence or aggression in order to deceive or intimidate someone

Loud, arrogant speech, often full of empty threats.

To make a display of aggression, as by charging or baring the teeth, as a means of intimidating another animal.

Pompous, officious talk.

To try to mislead opponents in a card game by heavy betting on a poor hand or by little or no betting on a good one.

A gust of wind.

To deceive or intimidate (someone) by a false display of confidence or aggression.

Fitful noise and violence.

To try to mislead (opponents) in a card game by heavy betting on a poor hand or by little or no betting on a good one.

To speak or protest loudly.

To start but not carry out (an action) as a means of deceiving or intimidating another

To act or speak in an unduly threatening manner.

The act or practice of bluffing.

To blow in strong or sudden gusts.

A steep headland, promontory, riverbank, or cliff.

To blow fitfully with violence and noise, as wind; to be windy and boisterous, as the weather.

Having or showing a rough and blunt but not unkind manner

To talk with noisy violence; to swagger, as a turbulent or boasting person; to act in a noisy, tumultuous way; to play the bully; to storm; to rage.

Having a broad, steep front

To utter, or do, with noisy violence; to force by blustering; to bully.

An act of bluffing; a false expression of the strength of one's position in order to intimidate; braggadocio.

Fitful noise and violence, as of a storm; violent winds; boisterousness.

(poker) An attempt to represent oneself as holding a stronger hand than one actually does.

Noisy and violent or threatening talk; noisy and boastful language.

The card game poker.

Noisy confusion and turbulence;

One who bluffs; a bluffer.

A swaggering show of courage

An excuse.

A violent gusty wind

A high, steep bank, for example by a river or the sea, or beside a ravine or plain; a cliff with a broad face.

Vain and empty boasting

(Canadian Prairies) A small wood or stand of trees, typically poplar or willow.

Blow hard; be gusty, as of wind;

(poker) To make a bluff; to give the impression that one's hand is stronger than it is.

Show off

(by analogy) To frighten or deter with a false show of strength or confidence; to give a false impression of strength or temerity in order to intimidate and gain some advantage.

Act in an arrogant, overly self-assured, or conceited manner

To take advantage by bluffing.

To give false information intentionally; to lie; to deceive

To fluff, puff or swell up.

Having a broad, flattened front.

Rising steeply with a flat or rounded front.

Surly; churlish; gruff; rough.

Roughly frank and hearty in one's manners.

Having a broad, flattened front; as, the bluff bows of a ship.

Rising steeply with a flat or rounded front.

Surly; churlish; gruff; rough.

Abrupt; roughly frank; unceremonious; blunt; brusque; as, a bluff answer; a bluff manner of talking; a bluff sea captain.

A high, steep bank, as by a river or the sea, or beside a ravine or plain; a cliff with a broad face.

An act of bluffing; an expression of self-confidence for the purpose of intimidation; braggadocio; as, that is only bluff, or a bluff.

A game at cards; poker.

To deter (an opponent) from taking the risk of betting on his hand of cards, as the bluffer does by betting heavily on his own hand although it may be of less value.

To frighten or deter from accomplishing a purpose by making a show of confidence in one's strength or resources; as, he bluffed me off.

To act as in the game of bluff.

A high steep bank (usually formed by river erosion)

Pretense that your position is stronger than it really is;

The act of bluffing in poker; deception by a false show of confidence in the strength of your cards

Deceive an opponent by a bold bet on an inferior hand with the result that the opponent withdraws a winning hand

Frighten someone by pretending to be stronger than one really is

Very steep; having a prominent and almost vertical front;

Bluntly direct and outspoken but good-natured;